To see just how dominant Bayern Munich is in this season’s Bundesliga, take a look at their goal difference.
With 51 goals (over 3.6 per game) and only 11 conceded, Bayern’s goal difference is a whopping +40.
The remaining highest score is second place Leipzig at +13, and no team below sixth place has a positive goal difference. One reason for this is that many of the teams have suffered at the hands of Bayern and Harry Kane, resulting in high-scoring defeats.
Bayern’s final match of 2025 promises another big victory. Sunday’s opponent is Heidenheim, the worst defensive team in the league.
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After a rare failure, 2-2 draw Heidenheim, who faced Mainz last week and faces relegation, offers Bayern a chance to get back to business as usual. But it should be done without it Injured goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. Bayern lead Leipzig by nine points, while Heidenheim are in 17th place but have won two of their last three games.
Bayer Leverkusen are in a difficult position ahead of Saturday’s match against second-placed Leipzig in the Africa Cup of Nations. Leverkusen have four players in this tournament, the most of any Bundesliga team, including defensive stalwart Edmond Tapsoba and talented young midfielder Ibrahim Maza. Leipzig are without one of their top young players, winger Yann Diomande.
Sixth-placed Stuttgart and fifth-placed Hoffenheim meet on Saturday in a local showdown in southwestern Germany, with the winner potentially qualifying for the Champions League during the winter break.
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More scoring landmarks are on the horizon for Kane. If he scores one goal against Heidenheim, he will have scored 35 goals for club and country in all competitions this season. With his two goals on Sunday, Kane will reach 20 goals in the Bundesliga, just six fewer than the one that made him the Bundesliga’s top scorer last season.
American attacking midfielder Gio Reyna will face his former club on Friday as Borussia Mönchengladbach host Borussia Dortmund.
Who’s out?
As well as missing the injured Neuer, Bayern are also without their main backup in Kane. Nicholas Jackson is representing Senegal at the Africa Cup.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s eventful season will become even more difficult on Saturday against Hamburger SV. Frankfurt will be without midfielders Elies Schiri and Fares Chaibi, who will be playing in the Africa Cup.
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AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
